Olympics-Athletics-I thought I'd won, says stunned Dibaba
By Sabrina Yohannes
ATHENS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Ejegayehu Dibaba was convinced she had
won the women's Olympic 10,000 metres on Friday until an official explained
that she had taken only the silver medal.
Dibaba was overtaken by China's 20-year-old Xing Huina in the last 100 metre
s of the race but thought she was a lapped runner.
She was asked by an official as she approached reporters: "You are the one w
ho came second, right?"
Dibaba replied: "No, first."
"You got a silver medal?" the official then said, to which she replied: "No,
gold."
Reporters then confirmed to the 22-year-old Dibaba that she had finished sec
ond.
Dibaba, looking stunned, still refused to believe it until the truth gradual
ly dawned.
"I didn't see where the Chinese girl came from," she explained, adding that
she thought she could have overtaken Xing had she known.
The Ethiopians, who finished second, third and fourth, said they had been lo
oking out for the other Chinese runner, world bronze medallist Sun Yingjie,
and had not paid attention to Xing.